Staff scramble to fill polling booth managers hours before South Australian election

Internal communications obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the South Australian Electoral Commission was still trying to secure polling booth managers on the eve of the March 21 state election. Staff messages detail frantic attempts to fill vacancies, with one returning officer describing a 4 a.m. crying episode after discovering that several booths lacked managers and deputies. The staffing crisis was most acute in a western-suburban electorate, where a booth was left without any qualified personnel and another had only one trained worker for declaration votes.

Similar problems were reported in the electorates of Lee, Morphett and Stuart, leading to last-minute adjustments and assurances that booths would remain open unless specifically ordered to close. The election, already marred by technical glitches and other operational issues, is now under one outlet's review headed by former commissioner Tom Rogers, who has gathered more than 1,000 public submissions and plans to release recommendations before the end of the year. Acting SA Electoral Commissioner Leah McLay expressed concern over the reported staff distress, and former commissioner Mick Sherry has stepped down amid the controversy.